


Inexorable

by FandomABurr1



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Danny doesn't like that concept either, Dirk's pretty persistent, Eridan rlly doesn't like Dirk, Fluff, M/M, he wants to be 'pals'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-05 06:54:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17913950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomABurr1/pseuds/FandomABurr1
Summary: INEXORABLE-- (adj) impossible to stop or prevent | (of a person) impossible to persuade by request or entreaty





	Inexorable

Dirk can admit that when he first met Eridan, he was intrigued. He seemed to carry himself with a strange sort of confidence that died whenever he thought he was out of sight. Dirk didn’t normally do things like stare at a single person all day but when he did, it was bad news. He was forming a plan that no one wanted to witness played out. And his first interaction with Eridan was a bit of a train wreck.

Dirk had heard what Eridan did early in the game. Killed two, injured one. He was apparently supposed to be a Prince of Hope. Too bad he didn’t realize the prince class was also known as the destroyer class. When Dirk finally got in the same place and in the vicinity of Eridan, he put his plan in motion. He spoke first. Eridan didn’t seem too happy.

“So I heard you had to fight two of your friends. Your emotions were probably pretty split in half, hm?” It was a pun. Eridan had been sliced the fuck in half by Kanaya. Sure, puns were lowly and not too ironic, but he had to start small. Eridan squinted his eyes to slits and glared, edges of his lips turned down in a frown. A frown that quickly turned into a sneer.

“Oh har har. Very funny, Strider. So fucking hilarious.” He hissed, crossing his arms. So bad puns weren’t the right approach. Dirk silently nodded to himself. He needed a new approach.

“Alright,” he mumbled, looking over to Eridan with confidence, “you never lost the cape. It’s kinda douchey.” Eridan’s eye twitched. Fuck. Okay, an insult was definitely a horrible idea.

“Why the fuck are you even talkin to me? Like your shades aren’t shittier than anythin I’ve ever worn.” Dirk paused. What? No, his shades were pretty fucking sweet. He let out a huff. Before he could try again, Eridan was on his feet and strutting out of sight. Shit.

Dirk groaned when he was left alone. How the hell was he supposed to figure this guy out if he couldn’t have a civil conversation with him?

He was forced to go to Feferi for help. She was the only person Eridan really talked to after the game. 

It was a bit hard to get her to talk (she was a little suspicious at first) but she eventually started answering his questions.

Apparently the whole “Prince of Hope” thing went to his head. He assumed it meant actual royalty, he never found out the nature of a prince. He didn’t speak at all for at least two days after he died and Feferi was the only person who could get his attention for a week or so.

Feferi said the guy was just lonely and everything would’ve gone “swimmingly” is he had a good “frond” to help him through. He had to ask Feferi to slow down once or twice due to the puns but otherwise, it was fine.

He seemed to like to talk to people who had no real reason to hate him, like Gamzee. That guy didn’t have a reason for anything. Almost everyone had seen Eridan with Gamzee at least once after the game was won. And if you tried to approach them, Eridan would immediately take off. He still does this for most people who confront him but it’s more likely to happen when he’s already talking to someone.

No one knows why.

Feferi went into detail about him. She told him things he honestly didn’t need to know like his favorite flower. He steered the conversation to physical appearance. She didn’t notice the change.

Eridan going grimdark had left black lightning scars all over his back and a little down his arms. The same had happened to Rose, around her eyes. And there was still a scar around his middle. He was shorter than most highbloods and the streak in his hair was in fact a mutation.

He didn’t like hands on his fins and was quick to pull away from people. That much was easily spotted whenever he was what he considered “too close” to someone. He’d put as much distance between himself and others as possible. He remembers seeing him slide all the way down the couch when Vriska was seated nearby. She had simply rolled her eyes and ignored him.

Dirk wasn’t sure what to do with what he was given but he knew he had to think of something.

He left Feferi ranting to herself in the living room.

————

The next chance Dirk got to talk to Eridan was a day or so later in the middle of the night.

Everyone had left but Dirk stayed put on the couch in the living room, even as Karkat turned the lights off. He sat with his phone, tired but not really wanting to sleep yet. That’s when he heard the gentle creaking.

He looked up to find Eridan carefully creeping through the living room. He didn’t have his glasses on and Dirk quickly realized that he wasn’t spotted yet. He quietly watched as Eridan opened a cabinet door under the TV and pulled out a small box. He heard something inside mixing around loudly. Sounded like pills.

“Hey.” He mumbled casually. He could tell he startled Eridan from the gasp that came from him. He had dropped the box and out came a few bottles of pills. So he was right. 

He pushed himself off the couch and walked over to examine the bottles but Eridan stomped on his hand. He pulled back the second Eridan let up.

“Hey, what the fuck?” He hissed, glaring up at Eridan. Eridan quickly collected the bottles back into the box and put some distance between them.

“Don’t touch my shit, asshole.” Alright so he should’ve predicted that response. He had already established Eridan was bitter in almost every situation. 

“What are they for?” He asked as he stood up. He knew it wasn’t his business but curiosity did in fact exist. Eridan only scowled at him.

“Maybe you should mind ya fuckin business.” Eridan huffed. It was a good response though because from the way Eridan avoided eye contact to stare at nothing in particular tipped him off that it was personal. Eridan may not know it but he gives a lot of clues with his body language. Guy’s an open fucking book.

He remembered Feferi said something about how Eridan was weak for fish puns. If Dirk had to stoop down as low as puns, he would. If only for science.

“Shore, pal. I mean, I deserved that, it woulda happened schooner or later.” Eridan paused and looked at him again. He saw Eridan bite his lip.

“What the fuck?” Eridan grumbled, glaring at him. He grinned and continued.

“Come on, those puns were fintastic.” Eridan huffed and looked away.

“They’re fuckin stupid. Stop it.”

“You’re just a hater. My puns are swimsational.” Eridan let out a rough breath. 

“I hate you.” 

“I just wanted to be pals. Don’t say I never tide.” He watched as a smile began to creep onto Eridan’s face. He was getting closer.

“You’re being real salty, pal. Water you so upset about?” 

“I mean, to beach their own but-” Dirk was cut off when Eridan let out a little laugh before covering his mouth. He glared, forcing himself to stay silent. Dirk chuckled and gently punched Eridan’s arm. He didn’t know why he had relaxed so much but he went with it.

“You don’t have to try so hard to resist my charm, man.” Eridan cringed.

“I really hate you.”

“I know.”


End file.
